Recognising different types of dementia

Dementia is not a disease in its self. The word dementia is used to cover a group of symptoms for the loss of memory and other mental abilities that interfere with a person’s daily functions.

These are caused by physical changes in the brain.
 

Below are short articles on the main types of dementia and their symptoms. This is just a short guide and not meant to be a full list of Dementias and all their symptoms.

The Alzheimer’s Association web site is the ultimate guide for different Dementias and their symptoms.

It helps to know the different types of dementia and their most prominent effects so that we can correctly diagnose and treat the disease.

The most common type of dementia is the one that most people know about and that is Alzheimer’s Disease. The main symptoms are confusion and difficulty in remembering recent events especially about where you are and what date it is also remembering a recent conversation is a problem. They also suffer from impaired communication, making judgements and personality and mood 

changes.

Vascular Dementia

Less common than Alzheimer’s disease and is usually caused by suffering a major stroke or a series of smaller stokes or where there are changes to small blood vessels in the brain. Main symptoms of Vascular Dementia are confusion, agitation, falling, and trouble with speaking or understanding speech.

Dementia with Lewy Bodies

People with Dementia With Lewy Bodies suffer from memory impairment, visual hallucinations, 

sleep disturbances and periods of staring.

Parkinsons Disease Dementia

Typically this form of dementia can develop in up to 80% of people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease. It is a progressive disease and is similar to dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer’s.

Lastly we will talk about Mixed Dementia. This as the name suggests is a combination of more than 

one type of dementia commonly Vascular and Alzheimer’s dementia but can be other types.

Is Dementia treatable? Almost all forms of Dementia are treatable unfortunately even today 

most forms of dementia remain incurable or irreversible.

For the future, the G8 nations pledged in 2013 to find a new treatment or cure by 2025, let’s all hope 

it comes sooner rather than later and that dementia finally gets the recognition and funding that cancer currently has.

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